isbell



(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet l.

G. W. I'SBELL.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS;

N0. 472,191. Patented Apr. 5. 1892.

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we NORRIS PGTERS 120., wmo-umq, wAsmmmzu n c (No Model.)

5 SheetsSheet 2.

O. W. ISBELL. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 3.

C. W. ISBELL. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

THE norms vnzng cm, PNo'ro-umm, wAsumr-Tnn, a. c.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 4.

C. W. ISBELL.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFAGTURING GAS.

No. 472,191. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

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(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 5.

O. W. ISBELL. APPARATUS FOR MANUFAGTURING GAS.

No. 472,191. Patented Apr. 5, 1892.

we mums versus 1:0,, muro'munv, wlsmunmu. n. c.

Miran STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ISBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

SPEQIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 472,191, dated April 5, 1892.

Application filed February 21, 1890. Serial No. 341,311- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. ISBELL, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Manufacturing Gas, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

The object of this invention is to provide for the manufacture in one apparatus of either coal-gas, water-gas, or oil-gas, or of such a mixture of any two or all of them as may be desirable for the purposes of illumination or of generating heat, with a very considerable saving in the cost of plant and with great reductions of the loss of gas in charging and drawing retorts, of the loss of valuable'hydrocarbon by deposit in the retorts or hydraulic main, and of the loss of ammonia incident to ordinary processes of manufacture,and a great saving in the cost of labor employed.

Figure 1 in the drawings represents a front elevation of the complete plant for carrying out my process and embodying my improvement in apparatus. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2 in the line was, shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a vertical section parallel with Figs. 1 and 2 in the line yy, shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section taken in the line z zof Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section taken in the line it of Figs. 1 and 4.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A A designate the side walls, and B the roof or crown, of a bench of masonry containing several inclined retorts C and horizontal retorts D D*. These retorts may be fire-clay or other suitable material. They are represented (see Fig. 3) as set in the front and rear walls of the bench in the manner common to coal-gas retorts. The inclined retorts C are shown as arranged on opposite sides of the center of the retort-chamber A, and I prefer that the lower ones shall be so arranged in order to make room in the lower central por- -'tion of the said chamber for the horizontal retorts D D*. Under the bench is a furnace E, which is representedas what is commonly known as a Siemens furnace, but which may be of any kind suitable for heating the retort-chamber A above, wherein there is provision for the circulation of the heated and inflamed gases of combustion from said furnace around the retorts O D D*. In front of this furnace are arranged two generators F, which will be hereinafter described. The crowns of these generators are about on alevel with the top of the furnace E and the bottom of the retort-bench A B, at or near which level there is constructeda working floor G, represented as extending all round the bench.

The inclined retorts O are each provided at their upper ends, which project through the bench, with mouth-pieces O, the upper parts of which are substantially upright, as shown in Fig. 3. On the top of each of these mouthpieces is a hopper C provided at its top with a lid a,which maybe secured bya cotter-bar o, and screw a and at the bottom of which hopper, where it connects with the mouth-piece, is a valve 1) to be worked by a lever 19. These lids and valves provide in a manner that will be well understood for charging the hopper with coal and afterward letting such charge descend from the hopper into the retort without any escape of gas from the latter. At the lower part of each mouth-piece O is an outlet-pipe c for gas generated in said retort. These outlet-pipes c are closed at their upper and outer ends, as shown in Fig. 3; but each is provided with a horizontal branch pipe 0, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) through which the gas from the retort passes out to one of two upright pipes 0 These pipes c are arranged one at each side of the back of the bench, and

the pipes c belonging to all the retorts C on one side of the bench connect with the pipes c on that side, as shown in Fig. 2. These pipes c are both connected at their lower ends by horizontal pipes c with the mouthpiece D* at the rear end of the lower horizontal retort D, the said mouth-piece projecting outside of the bench. The horizontal retorts D D* are connected outside of the bench by elbow mouth-pieces d 61*, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that they constitute, practically, members of a single retort. The upper one D of said members or retorts is connected outside of the bench by an elbow mouth-piece d with an upright pipe (1 (see Figs. 2 and 3,) the upper end of which is goose-necked to dip into the hydraulic main G.

It maybe understood from the foregoing description with reference to the drawings that all the gas generated in orpassing through the inclined retorts C passes into and through the horizontal retort D", thence into and through theretortD, and thenceis all delivered through the'pipe d to the hydraulic main. The horizontal retorts D D* serve the purpose of converting into gas any vapor that may remain in the gas after it has left the retorts C, and thus obviates or diminishes the production of tar. It may also be understood that the arrangement of the outlet-pipes c in the lower parts of the mouth-pieces C,.directly opposite the mouths of the retorts C, and the upward extensions of the said mouth-pieces, and the charging-hoppers G provided with the lids a and valves 1) at the tops of the said mouthpieces, whichare extended a considerable distance above the pipe 0, provide for the continuous delivery of gas while charging the retort and, what is more important, prevent the loss of gas during the operation of charg- Across the upper part of the bench is an arch: II, of masonry, which is represented in Fig. 3 as inclined to correspond substantially with the inclination of the retorts Op The space between this arch H and the crown B of the bench is divided by an upright partition-wall 11 into two oven-like chambers I I, which. constitute retorts and which may be charged with coal in the same way as the retorts 0 below them was in other coal-gasretorts. These retorts I I will be heated to a suflicient degree for the generation of gas from the coal therein through the arch II by the heated gases contained in and the combustion which goes on in the bench below the arch. These retorts I I being constructed in what would otherwise be waste space in the upper part of the bench economizes the room within the masonry and utilizes heat which would otherwise be wasted. These retorts I I in the example represented have their hottoms at the same inclination as the retorts C. The said retorts I I are each provided at the rear end over the highest part of the inclined bottom,.as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, with an upright charging mouth-piece H on thetop of which is a charging-hopper G with a lid a and valve 1), like those shown on the mouthpiece C of the retorts O, and on each monthpiece H is an outlet-pipe h, which connects with the top of the upright pipe 0 before described,on the correspondingside of the bench. The gas fromthe retorts I I is thus delivered to the pipe 0 along with that from the retorts C, and the whole passes to the horizontal finishing-retorts D D*.

The retorts C and I are each furnished at its lower end, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with a discharging mouth -.piece 0 which projects beyond the front wall of the bench, and

gas.

In each of the retorts O and I there is pro vided at some distance from its lower end a removable stop f, consisting of a plate or slab of refractory material extending across the bottom of the retort and from side to side at a suitable height from the bottom thereof to prevent the charge of coal introduced into the retort at the upper end from passing into the mouth-piece O or into that part of the retort at the lower end thereof which is outside of the heated chamber of the bench.

This plate or slab doesnot, however, extend to the top of the retort, as-provision must'be afforded in some cases, as will be hereinafter described, for the passage of gas over it.

These removable stops are each provided with a stem f the end of which rests against the door 6 when the latter is closed, the said stern being of a proper length to maintain the stops ata proper distance from the mouth of the retort. \Vhen the door is open for the discharge of the coke, the stop f and its stem f may fall out or be easily withdrawn to permit the coke to be dischargedor withdrawn.

The two generators-Fare like those commonly employed in the manufacture of water-gas, consisting each simply of a stove having a grate i, being fitted at the top with a removable cover 1" for charging it with anthracite coal, having an air-inlet i below the grate and a gas-outlet '6 near the top. The ash-pit below the grate i of each of these generators is furnished with a tightly-closing door 11. The said generators are each furnished with asteam-pipc i for the admission of steam into the charge of incandescent coal or coke within it. These steam-pipes are shown as connected with the air-inlet pipes 2' The airinlet pipes are furnished with stop-valves 2 and the steam-inlets with stopvalves 73 so that either steam or air may be shut off from the generators. These generators F are used alternately in a manner commonly practiced in the manufacture of water-gas, being each charged with coal or coke, which is ignited, while air is admitted at i to blow up the whole charge to astate of incandescence, after which the air is shut off and steam admitted to the pipe '6 to be decomposed in contact with the incandescent coal or coke for the production of the said The top of the said generators being on a level with the floor G and the said floorbeing at a suitable distance below the lower ends of the retorts O I, the coke from the said retorts maybe delivered to the saidfloor and thence into the generators F through the openings at the top thereof. In this way great convenience is afforded for charging the water-gas generators with the coke which is the waste product of the coal-gas retorts.

At the outlet 2' of each of the water-gas generators F there is provided a pipe F, which leads into the furnace E for the purpose of conducting into the said furnace the gas generated in the generators F during the blowing up of their charges with air to bring them to the necessary condition of incandescence to commence the manufacture of water-gas, the

gas so generated in blowing up being thus utilized along with that generated in the furnace E for the heating of the retorts O D D* and I. There is also provided at the outlet i of each generator an upright pipe F and these pipes F have branch connections 7' with the lower mouth-pieces O of the gas-retorts O C and I for the purpose of conducting Water-gas generated'in F through the said retorts. These upright pipes F are arranged one at each side of the front of the retortbench A B, and all the retorts next one side of the bench are connected with one of the said pipes and those on the other side of the bench with the other of said pipes, as shown in Fig. 1. This pipe F and its branches j provide for conveying the water-gas through and over the coal from which coal-gas is being generated in the retorts O and I for producing a mixture of water-gas and coal-gas. Stop valves F are provided in pipes F to shut off the generators F from the retorts O D D* I during the blowing up, and stop-valves F are provided in the pipes F to shut off the generators F from the furnace after the blowing up has terminated and the process of making the water-gas has commenced.

The outlet 1' of each generator F isefurnished with an upright pipe F which constitutes an escape-outlet from the generator. These pipes are provided with dampers F at their upper ends (which would be otherwise open to the atmosphere) for the purpose of keeping them closed at all times except for a shortintervalbetweentheshuttingoffoftheair from the said generators and the admission of steam thereinto, during which interval the dampers are open to provide for the escape from the generators of a certain quantity of gas with which there would be mixed a quantity of air which might be sufficient to produce an explosion.

Running through suitable passages or openings in the side walls of the furnace E there is a series of pipes 71" which are prolonged beyond the front and rear of the furnace. These pipes are connected at one end by branch pipes 7a with one of two upright pipes 7& outside of the rear Wall of the furnace and at the other end by branch pipes k with upright pipes or cylinders 70 outside of the front end of the furnace. These pipesklc'lfilfilflconstitute an apparatus for generating oil-gas, or for the vaporization of oil or liquid hydrocarbon to be afterward converted intogas in the retorts O D D* I above, said apparatus being heated to the requisite degree by the exposure of the pipes k to the heat in the walls of the furnace E. The oil is introduced to this apparatus along with a certain quantity of steam through the pipe 15 (see Fig. 2,) from which branches lo? run to the upper ends of the pipes 10 the oil being introduced into the said pipe from a suitable reservoir by means of an atomizing injector k of any well-known kind, the oil being supplied to the injector by a pipe it from the reservoir and the steam by a pipe k from a boiler suitably situated, said pipe k being furnished with a stop-cock 70 The oil gas or vapor passes out from this generating apparatus at the upper ends of the upright pipes or cylinders M, which are connected by pipes 10 with the pipes F before described as connecting the outlets of the water-gas generators F with the coal-gas retorts O and I. These pipes 10 are provided with stop-valves k for the purpose of shutting off the oil-gas-generating apparatus from the pipes F The pipes 10 70' k 10 k on one side of the furnace and the corresponding pipes on the other side may constitute two separate and distinct apparatuses to be separately used, or they may be used as one apparatus. To provide for their use as one apparatus, the outlet pipes 10 are connected by-a pipe 70 and this'pipe has a stop-valve 70 which may be closed when only the apparatus on one side is to be used. The inlet-pipes k are provided with stop-valves it for the purpose of shutting off the oil and steam from either side of the apparatus when it is desired to use only the other side. p

In the floor G, immediately in rear of the coal-gas-retort bench, is the mouth of a hopper E for feeding the furnace E. This hopper is provided with a removable cover E, which is only opened for feeding the furnace with fuel. The hopper being situated almost directlybelow the lower ends of the retorts, provision is afforded for conveniently utilizing the waste coke, which is delivered onto the floor G by the opening of the lower doors e of said retorts, by feeding the said coke as fuel to the furnace E for heating the coal-gas retorts and the finishing-retorts D D*. The furnace E has provided in its side walls'airheating ducts E into which air is introduced from outside the furnace andin which the air sointroduc'ed is heated by the heat of the furnace to be delivered through a number of orifices E into the retort-chan1ber immediately above the opening E in the bottom of said chamber, through which the gaseous products of combustion from the furnace E enter the said chamber. The air so heated and introduced mingles with the gases from the furnace E and completes their combustion in the retort-chamber. The retort-chamber A is represented as divided transversely to the retorts from the bottom up as high as the upper retorts O by a transverse partitionwall A The communication E and the openings E are both on the same side of this partition-wall and the outlet A (see Fig. 5,) which is commonly used for the escape of the pro- IIO ducts of combustion from the retort-chamber to the chimney-base or boiler-setting J, is at the bottom of the chamber on the other side of the said wall, so that the gases circulate upward on the first-mentioned side of the Wall over the top thereof and downward on the other side of the said wall, and are thus made to act effectually on the whole length of the retorts. There is, however, represented in Fig. 4 an outlet A to the chimney-base or boiler-setting J, provided in the retort-chamber on the same side of the wall A as the gas and air inlets E and E. This outlet may be used in any case that may be desirable, as in starting the fire in the furnace E. Dampers A A are provided at the outlets A and A", so that either outlet may be closed when desired.

K designates a steam-boiler on the base or setting J to be heated by the escaping waste products of combustion from the retort-chamber for the purpose of generating steam for supplying the water-gas generators through the pipes i and for supplying the oil-gas-gencrating apparatus through the pipes or for any other purpose that may be desired. This boiler is represented as having a fireplace K, in which fire may be built for the generation of steam in case the waste heat from the retort-furnace may not be sufficient to supply all the heat required or under any other circumstances.

In explaining the operation of my apparatus and the processes performed by it I will first describe the manufacture of coalgas only. In that case the valves I F 71: are all closed. Fire is made in the furnace E and the retorts C and I are charged through their hoppers O and the generation of coalgas proceeds as in any ordinary bench of re tort-s for the manufacture of such gas. The gas, passing off from the said retorts through the outlet-pipes c c at the upper mouth-pieces of the retortsinto the upright pipes 0 passes through the finishing-retorts D D*, which are immediately over the furnace, and is subjected to an intense heat, by which any tarry vapors remaining are converted into fixed gas before being allowed to pass over to the hydraulic main. lVhen the charges of coal in the retorts become exhausted of their gas, the coke is withdrawn and delivered on the floor G on the opening of the doors 6, and after the closing of these doors again the retorts are recharged through their hoppers C by first opening the lids a, While the valves 1) are closed, then filling the hoppers, next closing the lids a, and afterward opening the valves 1). This recharging is effected without any loss of gas, as the mouth-pieces O are never open to the atmosphere. Yet there is constant delivery of gas through the said outlet-pipes c c.

\Vhen it is intended to make water-gas alone, fire may or may not be made in the retort-furnace E. If no fire should be lighted in said furnace, the boiler must be heated by fire in its fire-place K. The generators F are then charged with anthracite coal or coke and are alternately blown up and supplied with steam, the valve F between each one and the furnace E being open during the blowing up and closed during the generation of water-gas, and the valve F" of each being closed during the blowing up and open during such generation. The water-gas generated, passing out by the outlet i passes into the pipe F and thence through the branch pipes 7' into the retorts C and I, through the said retorts, and thence out through the pipes c c 0 a through the retorts D D, and thence through the pipe (1 and through the hydraulic main.

To make a mixture of water-gas and coalgas, the Valves F are opened, as last described,and fire is lighted in the furnace E and the coal-gas retorts O C I are charged, as before described. The generation of coalgas then goes on in the retorts O and I. In the meantime the water-gas apparatus is operated as just described for making watergas alone. The water-gas then passes out from the generators F through the pipe F and branch j into the retorts O O and passes over the charges of coal in the said retorts and mixeswith the gas generated in said retorts, and all the gas passes out from the said retorts through the outlet-pipes c c c c and passes through the retorts D D*, wherein by the intense heat to which they are subjected the mixture of the two gases is completed, and they become permanently combined before passing out by the pipe d to the hydraulic main.

hen in making a mixture of watengas and coal-gas a gas suitable for fuel is intended to be produced, the coal-gas retorts should not be charged so full or so often as for the manufacture of illuminating-gas, as for the fuel-gas it is only desirable to supply carbon enough to give the required units of heat, while .for illuminating-gas sufiicient carbon must be supplied to give the required units of light.

For the manufacture of oil-gas alone the furnace E would of course be lighted to heat the multitubular generating apparatus consisting of the pipes 7t- 7t 71: k 7;, and the retorts G I D D- would also be heated. In this case the valves F and F would be closed and the valves k 70 7t it all opened. The vapor and imperfectly-generated gas produced in the generator then pass together through the pipes F and branch pipesj into the retorts O and I, which are then not charged, and thence out through the pipes c, 0, c and c to and through the retorts D D*, and thence out through the pipe (1 to the hydraulic main. The retorts C I in this case, having no charges in them, serve, like the retort-s D D*, simply as heating-retorts in which the vapor or imperfect gas generated in the multitubular generator below is converted into a fixed gas.

For the manufacture of a mixture of water- ITO gas and oil-gas the valves F are opened, as

for the manufacture of water-gas alone, and

the valves 70 79* Z0 Z0 are all opened, as for the manufacture of oil-gas alone. The water-gas from the generators F and the oil-gas from the mnltitubular generator then pass out, respectively, through the valves F It to the pipes F through the latter pipes and the branch pipes j into the retorts O and I, and thence. out through the pipes c c c c to and through the retorts DD*, and thence through the pipe d to the hydraulic main. The retorts O I in this case, having no charges in them, serve, like the retorts D D*, as mixing and heating retorts in which the mixture of gases is so heated as to complete the conversion of all the vapors of the oil into fixed gas and to combine in a fixed gas both the watergas from the generators F and the oil gas or vapor generated in the apparatus is k k k 10 When all three gases are to be generated, the operation is the same as just described for the generation of the mixture of watergas and oil-gas, with the addition of the charging of the retorts O and I with coal. In that case the water-gas and oil-gas pass together into the retorts C by the pipes F and circulate through the said retorts over and through the charges therein, and the three gases pass together from the said retorts through the outlet-pipes c c c c and through the finishing-retorts D D* and pipe 02 to the hydraulic main. In this case the completion of the mixture of the three gases is effected in the highly-heated finishing-retorts D D*, wherein their constituents are combined into a homogeneous gas of high illuminating-power free from tar. I

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a retort-chamber, two or more coal-gas-generating retorts arranged in said chamber, and a furnace for heating said chamber, of a water-gas generator which is situated outside of and separate from said chamber and furnace and the outlet of which is provided with separate communications with the several retorts first mentioned, a heating-retort arranged in said chamber and having a single outlet, and pipes communicating with the several retorts first mentioned and with said heating-retort, all substantially as herein described, whereby the watergas generated in said generator is caused to pass through the several retorts first mentioned and the said gas and that generatedin the several retorts first mentioned are caused to pass through the said heating-retort and to be delivered therefrom at its single outlet, as herein set forth.

2. The combination of a heating-chamber and a series of coal-gas retorts therein and a furnace for heating said chamber and retorts, of. a water-gas generator which is situated outside of said chamber and furnace, a generator for generating gas or vapor from liquid hydrocarbon, having itsheatin g-s urfaces W thin the walls of said furnace, and commumca: tions, substantially as herein described, between both of said generators and said retorts, whereby the two gases or the gas and vapor generated in said two generators are conducted together to said retorts to be therein mixed and combined, as herein set forth.

3. The combination of a heating-chamber and a series of coal-gas retorts thereln and a furnace for heating said chamber and retorts,

of a water-gas generator which is situated outside of said chamber and furnace, a generator for generating gas or vapor from oil or liquid hydrocarbon,-having its heating-surface within the walls of said furnace, communications, substantially as herein described, between both of said generators and retorts for causing the two kinds of gas or the gas and vapor generated in said generators to pass together into and through the coal-gas retorts, and a finishing-retort arranged withln said heating-chamberin communication with the before-mentioned retorts and heated by said furnace, all substantially as herein specified, whereby coal-gas, water-gas, and oil-gas may be all generated simultaneously and afterward heated togetherto be incorporated into a homogeneous fixed gas, as herein set forth. v

4. The combination, in a gas-retort bench, of a series of retorts set in the walls of the said bench and an arch constructed in the said walls below the crown of the bench, wlth a space between said arch and crown to constitute, with the walls of the bench, an additional'retort, and a furnace in the bench for heating all of said retorts, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, in a gas-retort bench, of a series of inclined retorts situated in the walls of said bench, an arch having an inclination corresponding with said retorts, constructed within said walls below the crown of the bench, with a space between said arch.

and crown to constitute in the walls of the bench an additional retort, and a furnace 1n the bench for heating all of said retorts, substantially as herein described.

CHARLES W. ISBELL. Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, D. H. HAYWOOD. 

